Disclaimer:

See chapter 1.

Chapter 15:  follow the road and do not falter

“I could not reach them. They are too far gone by now,” she whispered closing her eyes in despair.

Legolas swallowed while a tight fist was squeezing his heart. ”Was all hope lost?” he asked himself silently.

*No, it is not, but we must not lose any more time now!* 

Again hearing the Lady’s thoughts in his mind Legolas jerked his head up and directed his gaze at her. He had to guard his thoughts better.

For a second time Galadriel had easily read his mind, but then these were strong emotions near the surface and even an elf less gifted than Galadriel would have been able to read them.

Although he had not lost confidence in the Lady, his hope was dampened when he looked into her eyes. Was he meant to see restlessness, irritation and…fear in them? What had happened? Had she lost the contact with the three half-elves, or had she been in contact with them at all?

Her serene attitude had changed. Her hands shook slightly and her eyes darted toward her husband. Was she trying to get affirmation, comfort or help from him?

Lost in his thoughts, Legolas was startled by a commotion at the door. Tearing his gaze away from the Lady of Lothlorien he turned his head around and recognized, in surprise, the elves standing there.

When had Lord Glorfindel and Lady Arwen come back into the room? He certainly had not heard them enter. It was another testimony to his shaken condition.

With interest he watched the silent exchange between Galadriel and Celeborn. Only inclining his head fractionally the silver haired elf moved toward the bed near the great window and gently lifted the still form of the older twin up and laid him next to his father onto the large bed. He did the same with Elrohir.

After making sure that the three Half-elves appeared comfortable all eyes were directed at Galadriel.

As much as Legolas felt welcome in this family, now he felt keenly out of place and had the bad feeling he was intruding too far into personal matters. But again, before he could put action to his thoughts, Galadriel addressed him.

“Now there is only one chance left for us to reach them,” she began and Legolas leaned forward with no small amount of anxiety.

“We must combine our powers and call for them.” Legolas looked quickly around to see how the others would react to this statement. To his dismay no one seemed uneasy at the Lady’s announcement save him.

He had no idea how they, or more specifically he, should accomplish this. His family was not gifted with any extraordinary mental powers.

With a disturbing smile Galadriel rose and extended her hand. Tightening his lips into a thin line Legolas grasped her hand and let himself be drawn to the mattress.

He was followed by Erestor, Glorfindel, Celeborn and Arwen. All five elves were now standing around the bed facing the three Peredhil at their center. Galadriel then completed the circle.

She extended her other hand to her husband and each of the remaining elves grasped the outstretched hand of his neighbour. Legolas was now standing between Galadriel and Arwen.

As soon as he had made the contact he felt a slight tingling flowing back and forth through his body. In wonder he looked up right into the blue eyes of Glorfindel.

The golden warrior smiled in understanding and gave a quick nod of reassurance. Grateful for the gesture Legolas’ heartbeat increased nonetheless. What would be expected of him? He prayed to the Valar that he would not be the weak link in this chain. Hearing the Lady speak again Legolas looked up.

“We have to join our minds to call for the peredhil. We must do this as an entity but also as each one individually. I will guide you to the place where we can meet them, but then everyone must proceed on their own. We must not let them slip away any further.”  She admitted, “I’ve never done this before and I’m not sure if this will work. But we have to try.”

Nodding their heads the elves closed their eyes.

Legolas heart raced. He had to restrain the urge to break the contact and to run away but he dared not. He did not even dare to make a sound or move.

With a conscious effort he tried to still the turmoil raging in his thoughts. He had to calm down. He would do anything to save his best friends and the Elf-lord who he had grown to love as a second father; but the fear that he would do something wrong, that he would worsen the situation nearly choked him.

However, before he had time to take a breath, his mind was wrenched from his conscious state and cast into a maelstrom he could not comprehend.

He cried out at the feeling of free fall. He had nothing on which to orient, nothing that his mind could grasp to stabilize itself. The mad dash through swirling lights, rotating spirals and stretching nothingness made him dizzy and sick.

Just when he thought he would lose his mind the motion seemed to slow and he regained some sense of control.

Breathing heavily he tried to relax and failed because he knew that the journey had just begun.

………………………..

Suddenly and without warning the swirling kaleidoscope around him came to a standstill and then vanished entirely.

Legolas breathed slowly in and out to stop his spinning head. Knowing that this was a mind trip, he nonetheless felt grateful to have solid ground back under his feet even if it was imagined.

Looking around he frowned. Not accustomed to such experiences he felt the strangeness of his surroundings heavily. All sounds from nature were muffled, the light filtering through the trees was dimmed and the colours of the plants appeared washed out.

Additionally, there was an undercurrent of music, but discordant, not harmonious.  He wondered, “What place is this?”

Reminding himself that he had a mission to accomplish, Legolas surveyed his surroundings in the hope that he would get a clue about how he should proceed.

With anger born from his helplessness growing in his heart he cursed the Lady of the Golden Wood for not preparing him better. He ‘would know what to do when he was there’, she had said to him. He did not even know where to start with his search for the elves he wished to call back.

Yet, never one to dwell on matters he could not change, Legolas chose a direction to take on the path and marched on.

With dismay he noticed that he could see none of the other elves with him on this mission. Was this planned or had they lost each other already? His irritation grew with every step. ‘Combining their mental power’, she had said, yet he had no idea how to do this.

Soon however he could make out a sound muffled like the other noises but somehow elevated over the background noise. Identifying the noise as that of flowing water he hastened his steps and came quickly to the edge of the forest; the path leading straight to a small river.

Stepping out of the twilight he raised his eyebrows. There on the river’s edge stood Glorfindel, Celeborn, Erestor, Arwen and Galadriel or rather their mind images in regular intervals. They all looked transfixed across the river, their bodies looking like carved statues.

Before he had the chance to comprehend what was happening Galadriel and Arwen extended their hands toward him without turning around. Looking closer Legolas noticed that the gap between the two elves was wider than between the others.

He would take the same place he had occupied while part of the circle around the bed. Not wondering anymore how they knew he was there he quickly crossed the distance and grasped the outstretched hands.

At the moment of contact, instantly the tingling was back. The feeling spread quickly from his fingertips to his arms and finally flooded his whole body. It was not an unpleasant feeling yet strangely unfamiliar.

Tightening his hold he waited for what would happen next. To his dismay nothing did. Except for the sensation flooding through him he could feel or hear nothing from the other elves but then what had he expected? Galadriel had said it clearly before. After arriving everyone had to proceed on his own.

Nonetheless the young archer could not resist looking at his direct neighbours and now when he strained his ears he could make out that the other elves were calling something across the river.

The din the river was producing was not very loud, yet he could not understand what Galadriel and Arwen were saying. With a frown he shook his head. Nothing here could be compared with the real world. Suspecting that they were calling the names of the half-elves they searched he followed their example and called for the twins and the Elf-lord at the top of his lungs.

After a while he was not sure if this was the right action. Looking down he regarded the river consciously for the first time. What kind of strange fluid was this? It didn’t look like water at all. If this was no river of water then perhaps it was some symbol; a border between the living and the dead. Coming so far with his musings he shuddered. If the three half-elves were already beyond the border then had they crossed this line and were forever doomed; separated from the living world?

Legolas directed his gaze again at the other shore but this time he did not shout but rather pleaded with his friends to come back. He recalled fond memories, funny situations they had shared, and talked of hopes and wishes they had discussed.

After some time however he doubted that they would achieve anything. Nothing had changed since their arrival. None of the missing elves had appeared, or they were unable to contact them.

Legolas lowered his head. They had come too late. Since Galadriel had not made the attempt to cross the river there seemed to be no point in doing so.

Suddenly he felt a great weariness wash over him and he was nearly overwhelmed by the forcefulness of this sensation. Quickly he looked to his left and recognized with dismay that the other elves had also stopped their calling.

Falling to his knees while breaking the contact, Legolas’ body was wracked by sobs. They had failed. The half-elves were gone – forever.

To be continued…………………………